Red balloons, silver noisemakers and the distinctive yellow jackets of the medal-bearers coloured the plaza as an emotional Hansen addressed the crowd.

“I’m filled with such joy, such gratitude and such inspiration,” he said, remembering the ups and downs of both the relay and the 1985-1987 tour in which he wheeled around the world to raise money and awareness for spinal cord injury. He reminded supporters “there is so much work for all of us who are now in motion, a nation in motion, working one good turn at a time to remove barriers,” and work toward ending paralysis from illness or injury.

More than 7,000 participants were chosen to pass the “baton,” a silver medal, from Cape Spear, Nfld. to Vancouver. John and Joan Tennant were medal-bearers during the Granville Island leg of the tour Monday, but they’ve been involved in Hansen’s pursuits since the 1980s. After hearing about “a chap who wants to go around the world in a wheelchair,” John, now 84, helped coordinate the Man in Motion tour from the Vancouver offices of the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame, where he was chairman of the board at the time. His wife organized her friends to become “women in motion” volunteers.

The couple were at the relay finale.

“We thought we just had to come today and carry through with it,” said Joan.

Sonny Davis, 32, has been with the relay from the beginning as an endurance athlete, one of 17 who carried the medal on some long hauls between communities. Davis, who has muscular dystrophy, was invited by the Rick Hansen Foundation to begin the relay in the Maritime provinces. “I was given the golden opportunity to kick it off right from the beginning,” he said. Plus, he said, he got to meet Hansen, his childhood hero.

Hansen said young Canadians are uniquely poised to continue his “ultra-marathon of social change.” Grade 5 student Maya Cudney, 10, presented the Man in Motion with a cheque for $5,250, which she raised by selling “hope rope” bracelets for $10 apiece online. Jeneece Edroff, 18, kept her wheelchair in line with Hansen’s during the last few blocks of the relay. And Amanda Magyar, 19, carried the medal its last 250 metres. She was honoured onstage for her Birthday Bags 4 Kids charity and involvement with Girl Guides of Canada. “It’s fun, it’s crazy, it’s all emotions mixed in one,” she said. “I’m really humbled, especially after being chosen by Rick himself.”

After the final ceremony, Hansen thanked Vancouver for becoming an accessible city, pointing to medical advances, infrastructure like curb cuts, ramps and audible crosswalks, and the 2010 Olympics and Paralympics held here.

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.

Almost Done!

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.